During lockdown, a huge amount of people took to gaming. It seemed as though the whole world was gaming, regardless of age. Even adults, suddenly finding themselves at a loss with what to do with their time, unable to work and in unfamiliar territory sought out familiar comforts – with many choosing to turn their old consoles back on.
Games like Call of Duty: Warzone, a free battle-royal version from the huge franchise, became massively popular amongst people of all age groups as they sought out community during isolation.
Other people chose to see what free games were on offer on their devices – many also took refuge in free-to-play casino games. People were looking for free fun from their devices at home and so gaming companies responded to the gap in the market. Social casinos and sweepstakes casinos were two of them and made a conscious effort to provide users with more free games.
Whilst most are free to play, many of the operators do offer very welcome bonus offers for new players, giving you the chance to earn some real money with no strings attached. There are many different offers around so it’s worth checking them out before deciding on where you want to play.
Social Casinos
Social casino games, which are normally free-to-play online casino games, are becoming increasingly popular. They offer a similar user experience and gameplay to the normal online casino games, whilst employing a freemium model. Social casinos offer users free daily bonus credits – usually chips or spins – to play with. When the player has used up all of their daily bonus, they have to pay for more credits.
Social casino games offer increased user interaction, something that is appealing in the increasingly connected modern age. Players can search for their rivals and develop different strategies by learning from their previous experiences playing against their friends and enemies.
Two of the main motivators for playing social casino games are entertainment and socializing. Users can enjoy the fun and relative novelty of the experience, more so than ever when it comes to connecting with other users.
The social element is a critical part of any kind of online gaming in today’s day and age. It is one of the most in-demand aspects of online life.
Sweepstakes Casinos
Another industry that took note were sweepstakes casinos, which operate as a kind of hybrid between social and online casinos. Sweepstakes are online casino games and slots that offer the user the opportunity to gamble for free as well as for real cash prizes.
Sweepstakes casinos offer users the opportunity to buy gold coin packages which are bundled together with sweep coins, the sweep coins can then be used to gamble for real cash prizes.
Players can now win cash prizes on social casino sites like Chumba Casino and a new comer to the scene, Pulz. However, you cannot simply deposit money at a casino-style site that works on the sweepstakes system.
At social casinos like Pulsz and Chumba you can play two different types of games – sweeptstakes games and money games. Players purchase Gold Coins packages to increase the number of Sweep Coins a player has for the ‘play money games.’ When you buy gold coins, an amount of bonus Sweep Coins are awarded.
The Sweep Coins can then be used to play in the sweepstakes games, with prizes redeemable for cash prizes. With this unique sweepstakes model and their own token systems, it also opens up the opportunity to do promotions and giveaways – whilst also allowing players to have a casino experience playing for free or for a chance to win real money.
Free to Play is Here to Stay
Free to play games have become hugely popular amongst gamers and that isn’t about to change anytime soon. With the variety on offer and people seeking out games with strong social elements, it seems like more and more will continue to flock to social and sweepstakes casino games.
